Himvani Mar 13SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh's first wireless Community Radio was today launchedin Solan, district. Chief Secretary of government of Himachal Pradesh AshaSwaroop inaugurated the community radio at M.S. Panwar Institute ofCommunication and Management (MSPICM), Solan. The radio MSPICM 90.4 FMcommunity radio would cater to the area within 10 kilometers radius from themain station that has been installed at the institute."Main Solan ke listeners ka abhinandan karti hoon (I welcome listeners ofSolan)", were the first words of Asha Swaroop, to be aired from thecommunity radio. The radio would focus on the developmental aspects of thelocal area.This community radio service is the first to be launched in the state andthe forty third in the country. There are over100 applications pending forsanction of community radio across the country, including the proposal ofDr. Y.S. Parmar Horticulture University Nauni, Solan.In her address Swaroop said, "Each of the 12 districts of Himachal shouldhave at least one community radio to act as an interactive media for thepopulation of specific areas in communicating and getting solutions to theirproblems".Later, Vice Chancellor of the Horticulture University Dr. Jagmohan said thatHimachal has the capacity to accommodate over 100 community radio looking atits applicability in Agriculture and Horticulture that are the largestsector of the state's economy.Director Commonwealth Media Centre for Asia Dr. R. Sreedhar said thatcommunity radio has the capability to give solutions to local developmentalissues of an area and build community participation in development. Heappreciated the endeavour of the M.S. Panwar Institute for coming forward inadopting this mode of communication that is expected to have far reachingeffects in the field of development communication.The MSPICM is hosting the two day 7th Regional Consultation for theCommunity Radio enthusiasts of the North West Zone, covering the states ofHimachal Pradesh Punjab, Haryana and the Union Territory ofChandigarh,begining March 13.

After joint appeal with Amnesty International for an end to onlinecensorship, Reporters Without Borders issues report on "Enemies of theInternet"

Reporters Without Borders today issued a report entitled "Enemies ofthe Internet" in which it examines Internet censorship and otherthreats to online free expression in 22 countries.

"The 12 'Enemies of the Internet' - Burma, China, Cuba, Egypt, Iran,North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistanand Vietnam - have all transformed their Internet into an Intranet inorder to prevent their population from accessing 'undesirable' onlineinformation," Reporters Without Borders said.

"All these countries distinguish themselves not only by their abilityto censor online news and information but also by their virtuallysystematic persecution of troublesome Internet users," the pressfreedom organisation said. Reporters Without Borders has placed 10other governments "under surveillance" for adopting worrying measuresthat could open the way to abuses. The organisation draws particularattention to Australia and South Korea, where recent measures mayendanger online free expression.

"Not only is the Internet more and more controlled, but new forms ofcensorship are emerging based on the manipulation of information,"Reporters Without Borders said. "Orchestrating the posting of commentson popular websites or organising hacker attacks is also used byrepressive regimes to scramble or jam online content."

A total of 70 cyber-dissidents are currently detained because of whatthey posted online. China is the world's biggest prison forcyber-dissidents, followed by Vietnam and Iran.

Creative-Radio is an independent forum for people active in or interested in the use of radio in development, in particular promoting public health, improved education, protection of the environment, improved livelihoods, good governance and conflict mitigation. Since it started in 1996, Creative-Radio has been in the forefront of radio's resurgence as a tool for social change and peace-building, and it helps promote best practice in these areas.